Can we win at this game, or
just not lose? This past holiday weekend reminded me that we all need to
constantly course correct. I spent time this weekend at a car show with
my grandson, playing hoops with my grandson, working on projects with my
grandson, and swimming with my grandson. Was there anything more important?
Probably not. Do I want to do that 24/7 – certainly. Can I do that
24/7? It would be challenging, but I can re-balance.
How do the most successful
people find that balance? And what is their definition of success?
Webster’s defines success
as: the accomplishment of
an aim or purpose or the attainment of popularity or profit or a person or
thing that achieves desired aims or attains prosperity.
What
if success is not really material? How about success being family first,
then work? What if Webster’s redirected success to mean: a person
having the right priorities, commitment, respect, reasonableness and
forgiveness to positively impact themselves and others.
The
only person that can answer the question of what success is - is you. I do not
think I can, or anyone else for that matter can, create the ultimate definition
of success, as this is not possible. Each of us think differently about
the meaning of success in life and we each define success in our own way, so there can’t exist
a definition that is suitable for all. What is important is that you know
exactly how to define success in YOUR life!
Make
yourself aware of what accomplishment, success, and prosperity in general means
to you in your life. Some might define success as having luxurious cars and a
huge mansion, whereas others consider a life full of joy and happiness with
their family as the true meaning of success. Once you have figured out what is
important for you personally - you are able to focus on your visions and goals.
I
would challenge that true success is the amount of people that are able to live
a better and more advanced life because of what you have done. Kindness
is currency. This is my meaning of success. Not the trophies people are
collecting in their lives. Media often pushes us to conclude that living a
successful life means to be extraordinarily wealthy and have a lot of material
“things”. Society seems to be doing this as well. My meaning
of success is to live a happy life and to make this world a better place for everyone.
And yes, that is not always easy. And yes, I am not always nice.
And yes, my views on this are changing the older I get. But this is my
goal. I strive to be kind always (but I am not – just ask my kids).
I
read a great quote about success in parenting from Dave Willis, he states that
“There are no perfect parents, and there are no perfect children, but there
are plenty of perfect moments along the way”. My take from this quote
is for all of us to understand we cannot achieve perfection and success is not
100%, but we have many little successes every day. If you build success
on material things you will always be on the chase for “more”. If you build it on
family, friends and relationships then you can win every day!
Success for me
is looking back at my life, when I am in my final moments (as Bill Murray said
in Caddyshack, “on my deathbed”), and having a tremendous amount of pride about
my family, my creations, my accomplishments, and my personal legacy (how
did I treat others?), while possessing little to no regret about what I did not
do or try to do.
How do you
define success and are you tracking in that direction?
Together.
We. Win.
Dave Harmon
People Division
“Kindness is Currency”
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/davidharmonhr
Look for us on: LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, The Muse, Glassdoor and Gannett Careers
People Division
“Kindness is Currency”
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/davidharmonhr
Look for us on: LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, The Muse, Glassdoor and Gannett Careers
Well said!
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